Star Trek: Another Kirk
by G.W.Ryan
Summary: The final months of the Five Year Mission, of the Starship Enterprise, brings another member of the Kirk family, on board of the the Starship.


_In the Earth Year, 2269..._

_Captain's Log. Supplemental._

_It's over, the five year mission of the Starship Enterprise under my own command. As such, we have arrived at the Federation's latest and most distant Outpost, where we must say goodbye to many of the officers and crew whom have worked alongside this fine crew for the past Five Years. We will not be understaffed, as a temporary crew replacements have boarded the ship for her final voyage, back to Earth._

They have some big shoes to fill.

The vessel had long since destined to become known as a legend, amongst Starfleet and the Federation as the first Constitution Class, Heavy Cruiser to safely return back to her home port under the same Captain whom had been assigned to the ship, Captain James Tiberius Kirk a man destined to become as much of a legend as his own vessel. Throughout the five year, deep space assignment, the USS Enterprise had only returned to Earth once, through an accidental time-travel incident, which had thrown the ship and her crew, across space and time to Earth in the year 1969, before once again, resuming her deep space assignment, after a brief overhaul and upgrade of several of her systems.

Stepping through the corridors of the starship, Chief Surgeon and close personal friend of the Captain, Doctor Leonard McCoy had remained uncharacteristically silent over the past several days, today was no exception as he stepped at the side of the recently promoted, Lieutenant Junior Pavel Chekov, whom had seemingly filled the long lasting silence, with his constant chatter.

"Then I asked the Keptin, why me Sir? Why must I greet the new crew? That is a Job for the First Officer…"

"Chekov, don't you ever stop talking?" Doctor McCoy called out, with a deep grunt within his voice.

"Finally, you Speak Doctor. But, the Keptin said that it was a part of my further training, if I am to become Chief of Security"

"Shut up Chekov. You're giving me a headache"

"Luckily, you are a Doctor. This is it, behind those doors? Are the new crew replacements. Any advice?" The thick Russian accent of the new Lieutenant called out, with laughter.

"When I took my first posting, it was the Chief of Security whom had first met the new Crew. He said that, he was preparing us to meet the Captain, by intimidating everyone in the room. Knowing Jim? I would do the same thing, especially with the female crew replacements"

"I understand. Keptin Kirk has a reputation amongst the crew, for his liking for Women"

"You may want to leave that part out, Lieutenant"

"Aye Sir. And thank you, Doctor"

Proudly stepping into the large shuttlecraft hanger bay, displaying his new Lieutenant Junior stripes on his mustard coloured uniform tunic. The fifty new replacement crew stood to attention, instantly as he entered, while all chatter in the room subsided as he paced before the twenty-five person long, two row line up before himself as he began to speak quickly, announcing himself as the New Acting Chief of Security, with the authority of his new rank and experiences since his assignment to the Starship. Stepping before the first person in the line up, a tall and intimidating large man wearing a red uniform tunic, he damned to know the man's name, rank and position before moving along the line up, asking each officer and enlisted the same question.

"Parsons Sir. Ensign, James Andrew. Medical"

"Wallace. Crewman First Class, Julia. Engineering, Lieutenant Sir"

"T'Parr. Lieutenant Junior. Astrometric Science Officer. Lieutenant Chekov"

Moving slowly down the two lines of crew, many of the crew of Andorians, Humans and Vulcans, gave their names, rank and Division, each stood to attention until he had reached the last of the fifty crew replacements. Seeing a short, strawberry blonde woman, wearing a blue coloured uniform tunic and trousers, her eyes maintaining the forwards look into the back of the large man stood before her, her eyes instantly turned towards the Lieutenant as she smiled, nodded before whispering her name and rank.

"Speak up, Ensign. This is not a whispering gallery. Name, rank and division. That is an order"

"Park. Ensign Erica. Division, well the truth is Sir? I'm not officially a member of this crew"

"This is a Starship, not a Cruise Liner Ensign Park. On this ship? We earn our bunk. What is your standard assignment?" Lieutenant Chekov called out, with a thick Russian accent.

"I am, I mean I _Was_ in training to be a Nurse"

"Very well, you will report to Doctor McCoy…"

"Forgive me for speaking out of term, Lieutenant? I must speak with Captain Kirk, right away Sir. Trust me, he will want to see me"

"Ensign Park, right now? I decide who speaks with the Keptin. You are very close, to insubordination"

"Then put me in the Brig. And when Captain Kirk knows that I am here? You may very well take my place, Sir"

Upon hearing the hanger bay doors slide open, the tall and muscular officer looked towards the Door, before standing to attention to call out instantly '_Captain on Deck!_'. A smile, slipped across the Ensign's face as she looked towards the Lieutenant before he stepped to the Captain's side to speak firmly, for all to hear his words, including the Ensign.

"Keptin Kirk, a moment of your time Sir?"

"What is, Lieutenant"

"There is a young, Ensign whom is demanding to speak with you. She is boarding on insubordination"

"Sounds like an Ensign I once promoted to Navigation, Chekov. Alright, send her up front"

"Aye Sir. Ensign Park, front and centre!" Ordered Lieutenant Junior, Pavel Chekov with authority.

Seeing a small stature of a woman, step along the back row of the new recruits, before stepping before the front row, a slight smile echoed over the Captain's face while the young woman stepped towards him and salute the Captain, loosely as she stopped before the Commander of the vessel.

"Chekov? You where right to bring the Ensign to my attention. Ensign _Park_, is it now?"

"I changed my name, when I entered the Academy. It's all legal Jim"

"Ensign, on this ship? You will refer to the Captain by his rank. Am I clear?"

"Stand down, Pavel. One moment please, Ensign? Welcome to the USS Enterprise, I am Captain James Kirk. For the next several weeks? This ship will not only be returning home to Earth, but conducting a brief tour of the Core Worlds of the Federation. Each of you, are replacing some of the most experienced officers that I have had the pleasure of serving with, you have some big shoes to fill. I suggest that you familiarise yourselves with the ship, her crew and your duties, before reporting for your first Duty shift. Dismissed"

Watching the replacement crew, step out of the hanger bay with their bags over their shoulders, Lieutenant Junior Chekov turned towards the Captain and Ensign as they looked at each other with slight smiles, before the Captain seemed to examine the young woman stood before him in silence until he spoke, with worry hidden within his voice.

"You've lost weight, Erica"

"And you Jim, Command looks good on you, I always said it would. I am so proud of you"

"Keptin?" Pavel Chekov said, slowly with an almost shock at the familiar way the two had spoken with each other.

"At ease Pavel? I'd like you to meet Erica, my Cousin"

"Your Cousin?"

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything before the crew Pavel? I wanted to be known for my own actions, not be held beneath Jim's career. My father, is Samuel Kirk. His Dad's younger brother. My birth name is Kirk, I changed that name to my mother's maiden name, when I entered the Academy. Jim, I need to talk to you, in private please?"

"My quarters, 1900 hours. I guess we have a lot of catching up to do, Erica"

"More than you know, Jim. More than you know. Lieutenant? I formally apologise to you for the way I had acted"

"It is, understandable, Ensign. Welcome onboard of the Enterprise"

1930 Hours.

Private Quarters of Captain, James Tiberius Kirk.

An almost sombre first meeting between the two cousins, whom had not seen each other in over five years, a shocking if not expected news had been given to the Captain, by the young Ensign as she sat in a small chair, while the Captain paced his quarters, seemingly muttering to himself, before he finally stopped to turn and look in her direction.

"There must be something that we can do Erica?"

"I'm sorry Jim. There isn't. I've checked several times, had second opinions? We knew that this was a possibility, one day"

"I'm not going to accept this…" Captain Kirk called out, as he walked to his computer to order Doctor McCoy to his quarters.

"Jim, you don't have to do this. I'm Stage Two, we both know the odds of that happening, and what will follow. I only came here, because I heard that you where passing and taking on Crew replacements. I called in every favour I have, just to be here so that I could tell you, in person"

"Erica…" Captain Kirk said with an almost whisper, as he knelt before her seat. "We can beat this, with the right Medication?"

"Jim, you saw what happens with that Medication. On my last assignment? There are only five people who knew. My Roommate, Department Chief, Chief Medical Officer, First Officer and the Captain. I'd like to keep that Circle small"

The Ensign, seemed to be so small and frail as he leaned forwards to hug her gently, as he almost wept on her shoulder while she stroked his hair softly. Hearing the chime on the door to his quarters ring, James Kirk barely moved as he called for his visitor to enter the room. Upon hearing the doors open and an almost grunt from the Chief Medical Officer, Kirk slowly stood and turned towards the Doctor.

"Oh for crying out loud Jim. Didn't take you long. She's your Ensign, for God's Sake!"

"Bones, come in and seal the door"

"Wow, he looks exactly like you said, Jim"

"Bones, get your head out of the Gutter. This is Erica…"

"Another notch on your belt, Jim?"

"Jim, you really do a great impression of him" The Ensign replied as she slowly stood, before placing her hands behind her back and smiled towards the Doctor. "Doctor McCoy, I feel like I already know you. It's a pleasure sir. I'm Erica Park, my original last name? Was Kirk"

"Kirk, She's your Cousin, Jim?"

"She's Uncle Sam's Daughter, Bones" James Kirk replied, with a stressed smile.

"Well, it's clear who got the looks in the family. A pleasure Erica"

"Thank you, I know it's Jim. Doctor McCoy, this isn't my choice for you to be here, this is his. Tell me, what do you know about Honourious Syndrome?"

A look of shock echoed across the Doctor's face, as he slowly turned towards his Captain, whom had simply nodded, before the two looked towards the fail looking, young Ensign as she slowly sat back down into the seat.

"Honourious Syndrome, a genetic disorder passed on through the female line of certain families. Identified during the early years of the twenty-second century, the cause? Illegal genetic engineering…"

"Something like that, Doctor. It's my mother's side, my grandmother was diagnosed when she was eighteen. Her own mother, had been well? Engineered as an infant and all records destroyed. Her symptoms displayed, when she was in her mid-forties. She was stage two, when in her sixties. She lived a somewhat normal life, until her death at ninety. My mother, was lucky and never diagnosed. It wasn't until I was twelve, when I was diagnosed as Stage One"

"My God!"

"Six weeks ago, one of the few whom had known of my condition, my Roommate? Had noticed that the little finger on my left hand, was starting to shake and within weeks, the following finger. I was diagnosed by the CMO, as Stage Two, shortly afterwards"

"So fast? That's unusual… what about Medication, we can manage" Doctor McCoy whispered, instantly.

"Doctor McCoy, I have seen what Stage Two Medication can do to a person, first hand. I watched my grandmother, slip away. I am twenty-one years old. I don't want to, I can't go through that at my age. Do you know what the symptoms of stage two are?"

"Unmediated? I do. You can still live a normal life, Erica. The odds of being diagnosed as Stage Three, at your age are impossible"

"Doctor McCoy, Bones? Stage three, is horrible. But the effects of the medication you are suggesting, are much worse. I always stand, with my hands behind my back, or my arms folded because my hands shake slightly. I've lost weight, a lot of weight as Jim said when he first saw me. The next step before Stage Three? Is memory loss. Sometimes, I am confused about where I am, but it passes quickly. I believe that I am close to Stage Three, and that is why I am here on Enterprise. I wanted to spend some time with the only family I have in the region, before I forget… everything and every one"

Slowly pacing the quarters of the Captain, the Doctor could barely believe what he was hearing. The illness which had taken hold of the Ensign, the symptoms had always been, incredibly rare, more so in a woman of her age.

"Let me get you to Sickbay, Erica? So I can confirm what you suspect, however impossible it may seem?"

"I'm sorry Doctor. No more tests please? I've had them, my entire life. But I will have my files made available to you, all of them. Just, do me one favour and not for me? But for Jim. Don't tell anyone, not yet please?"

"Erica, I strongly recommend that you come with me to Sickbay. I have seen a lot out there, I maybe able to help you"

_Personal Log._

_Final Entry._

_Ensign Erica Park._

_USS Enterprise NCC-1701._

_For eight long weeks, I had been onboard of this amazing vessel as Commanded by James Kirk. We have finally reached home, Earth. I haven't done much, on this ship actually as I am no longer eligible for Duty and have not been, since I had first stepped onboard of this vessel. I am merely a passenger, as I had intended._

_Although, unofficially? I have been helping Doctor McCoy with his research into my own Condition? I believe that we may have made something of a small leap forwards in managing my condition by slowing down the approach of Stage Three. My hand still shakes from time-to-time and confusion is still there, although not as frequent as it once had been? Thanks to the remarkable efforts of Doctor McCoy. I may have more years than I thought, before the next Stage takes effect._

_I am thankful for the Doctor, as he had talked me into helping him with his research. Perhaps this could be my legacy, helping others and maybe one day, finding a cure for this degenerative, hereditary illness amongst the females of my species. _

_Personal Entry._

_Amidst reports that Enterprise was to be decommissioned? She has in fact been scheduled for complete overhaul and redesign. Jim had shown me the plans, last night for the new design. My god, she will be beautiful, fast, powerful and sleek in her new configuration. I wasn't that surprised, when Jim had told me that he had been offered and accepted a promotion, to Rear Admiral. Although Admirals don't fly? I get a feeling that Jim has his own plans. I have never been more proud, of Jim._

In the Earth Year, 2272...

Starfleet Medical.

San Francisco. California.

The morning sun had arisen over the city, a light which had spilled into one room at Starfleet Medical as a young and frail woman, lay in her hospital bed and slowly awoke to see a man, sleeping in a chair beside her bed. Forcing a smile past the confusion which had one become her daily life, a single moment of clarity had appeared as she sat upright, to look at the man wearing a Starfleet Admiralty Uniform, while he slept in the chair by her bed.

"Jim, Jim? Hey wake up"

Slowly stirring, the Admiral's eyes opened as he looked towards the frail, shadow of a woman he had known for her entire life, as she sat upright before him. Pushing back his shoulders as if to crack his back into position, Admiral Kirk slowly sat upright with a slight smile, as she spoke.

"Did you sleep in that chair Jim? You're going to pay for that, later you know"

"Erica?"

"Yeah, it's me. I remember last night, I'm sorry"

"It wasn't you, I know that"

"I know. I also know that I have few moments of clarity left, I want to make this moment last… but I know I can't. I can feel it, creeping up on me again…"

"You can…"

"Jim, for once please just let me speak, while I still can? Enterprise, is where you where meant to be Jim. Not pushing papers, you belong on that ship. Promise me, make me a promise that you will find a way to take back your ship and your command, please?"

"Admirals, don't command Starships, Erica"

"Then, become a Captain again. I always imaged that one day? I would command my own ship. I would pull alongside your vessel, proudly showing you that I am a Captain. I wanted nothing more, that to just pull alongside your ship, and work with you as Captain. With two, Captains Kirk? There would be nothing that we could not do, together. I can't be there with you, so be Captain James Tiberius Kirk, once again. Please?"

"Erica, I don't know how…" James T. Kirk said, slowly with tears forming in his eyes.

"Jim, I'm slipping. I can feel it. I am fighting it Jim, but I am loosing and I fear that it will be gone forever. Hell, I can't remember their names, it was there a moment ago. You know who I mean, find them Jim. Bring them back, whatever it takes? You need them in your life"

"McCoy and Spock?" James Kirk asked, as her eyes seemingly glazed over, before his eyes as she looked at him in confusion, before laying back in her bed slowly. "I will, Erica. I'll find a way. I promise"

"Oh, that's nice. I like it, dark"

The so called '_V'Ger Incident_', a once probe which had originated on Earth of the past, and altered by an unknown race of beings to be returned to Earth, on a destructive course had taken the USS Enterprise back into service, under the command of Rear Admiral James T. Kirk, after taking an unofficial reduction in rank, to the rank of Captain. Following the incident, the USS Enterprise had begun a new assignment of exploration, along with the two missing officers, Doctor Leonard H. McCoy and Commander Spock, as members of the starship's own crew. Sitting back in comfort, in his own quarters. Captain Kirk sighed deeply as he looked down upon the daily reports of his next assignment, as the chime on his door rang before Doctor McCoy slowly stepped into his quarters, before James Kirk slowly stood, with a sombre look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Jim!"

"The thing is? She'd expected it, her entire life"

"She once told me, that all she had ever wanted to do, was to pull alongside of your ship, as Captain of her own"

"I know Bones, I know"

_USS Enterprise Log. 7418.3._

_Rebuilt, and Refit? The Starship, Enterprise is now ready, after her Shakedown Cruise to re-enter service, as an active duty, Federation Starship. _

_In my previous five years as Commander of this Vessel, I have lost many of my crew. But nothing, leaves as much of a stain my hands as the loss of my own family, which I have lost during that first, Five year assignment._

_My own Brother, his Wife, and… my Cousin. _

The End.


End file.
